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Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

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Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Property/DIY

Found the perfect house - want, want, want!

34 replies

woozlebear · 02/04/2013 12:05

We weren't even looking really, but found a house for sale totally by chance over the weekend, put a note through the door and got a viewing yesterday rather than wait til the agents opened again. They'd already had an open house day Saturday, and had 3 offers. One offer is asking price from buyers with no chain. We offered over the asking price, but would have a chain, and are still waiting to hear. They said they'd speak to the agent this morning.

So on edge I can barely breathe! This house is PERFECT. We didn't even know it was there. Would give us almost everything we've always wanted in a house, and we would stay in the same area and not have a big relocation. Never thought on our budget, in the location we really need to be in for family/work/practicalities, we'd ever ever get a house that I actually LOVE.

Want it want it want it want it want it soooooooooo much.

Just needed to let of steam

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MrsGrumps · 05/04/2013 13:51

Hey Wozzle, funny you shoudl say about W/park because that is where I live. My house too is a one off for the road it's in, would want to live anywhere else!

Higgywiggy · 05/04/2013 13:35

Woozle - I've totally taken over your thread!!! Sorry!!
I work in South Kensington - although, tbh I may quit work shortly after bubs born and find something different and part time (my current job is incredibly stressful as I'm a one-man-band and the only UK employee). DH works on the edge of the City opposite Blackfriars stn (hence the South Downs house browsing - the Sussex trains all go into Blackfriars!), walking distance from St Pauls tube stn and has to be in work at 7am (ouch) and works usually til about 6ish, so the commute is actually really important for him. At the moment he gets up at 6 and manages to be at his desk for 7 - a big factor for staying in London.
The more I think about it, the more I think Walthamstow is for us - closer to Essex to drive 'home' to family, on the Victoria line for me going West or Central, on overlands going to City, or Snaresbrook not too far on Central line for St Pauls.
I looked on Rightmove at some of those places you listed TuttoRhino and you're right - more house for your money!! But I also worked out the only person I know South of the river is someone moving to Peckham in a couple of weeks because she's been priced out of Hackney, and her weekends consist of raves and going to bed at lunchtime the following day. I think now with this bun in the oven those days may be well and truly behind me!!!! (I'm on Mumsnet FFS!!!!!!)
Thanks for the advice re: schools, it's definitely on our radar. I've heard schools in E17 catchment areas are a JOKE. 0.2 miles in most cases, which is pretty insane.
Do you still socialise with the same friends you did as when you lived North? If we move away, I don't want to exchange my old friends for new friends just because they've got children, I'd rather just acquire more...! It's all pretty daunting - every aspect of this having a baby/growing up lark isn't it?!!
Woozle I ain't moving SW - get a link up to your house already!!

woozlebear · 05/04/2013 09:50

at higgy and her south downs find!

Friends / family thing huge factor. We're in SW cos my family are (I do like it too, butI know it's a tad dull for a lot of people's tastes! Makes zero sense to move to some random place you don't know miles from anyone unless it offers some radical lifestyle change or you just massively love it.

What commutes do you have to do?

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TuttoRhino · 05/04/2013 07:42

Forgot to say congratulations woozlebear. Would also love to see a link.

We're in Forest Hill (SE23) which is nice and green and has a series of really good schools. Relatively easy access to Highbury & Islington and Hackney via the Overground.

Other places in Zones 2/3 worth a look where your budget should stretch to a 3 bed house / flat are Sydenham, Crystal Palace, Hither Green, Crofton Park, Brockley (probably a flat), Lee, Catford, etc. South East is cheaper and much, much greener than the equivalent places in North London. Not sure whether it would be easy/hard to get to Essex from any of these places. Moving from North to South took me a long time to get my head around but it has been the best thing for us. It is just nicer in the South for what our budget could buy.

Only thing I would say is since you're pregnant, buy a place now that is near a decent school. You don't want to have to move in a last minute hurry because you find out at the last moment that you're in a catchment black hole or something.

Higgywiggy · 04/04/2013 21:22

PrinceRogersNelson -E17 is top on our places to move to!! E11 is too east for me - the Viccy line appeals for Walthamstow.
Woozle - I had to Google Worcester Park - it is proper countryside!! If I go suburbs it will be with my head hung low back to Brentwood in Essex to take advantage of grandparents babysitting...!!
I'm not particularly adverse to SE London, or anywhere thats not north for that matter, it's just that all our friends are here - again, if we move somewhere far away, I'd rather it was at least toward family and not just away from friends AND family. Having said that - where's nice y'think in SE London TuttoRhino?
Having said that - I just got carried away with the countryside idea and found a beautiful little two-bed near the South Downs.... :-/

TuttoRhino · 04/04/2013 20:39

Or a house in South East London. It's lovely here. I don't miss North London at all.

PrinceRogersNelson · 04/04/2013 19:04

East London higgywiggy. You'd get a house for that money in e11 or e17.

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 17:00

What are you looking for higgy, and what sort of area? I don't know north at all - do you want to stay there? I live south west. There's some nice 3 bed semis for that price around Worcester Park sort of area, a little further out from me....

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BehindLockNumberNine · 04/04/2013 16:35

Woohoo!! Fantastic news

Higgywiggy · 04/04/2013 16:23

Absolute MAX 360k - we currently live on the ladder in Harringay (the ghetto side of N8) and our 1 bed is about to go on the mkt for 295k so no danger of us affording round here. I'm 13 wks preggo hence the need to move. House prices depress me beyond belief!!!!!!

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 15:54

Total fluke wiggy! Weren't even looking! It's really close to where we live now in an area we didn't think was an option (it's a one-off house, the other round it are not suitable). We'd considered all kinds of places but never found anywhere that had a house worth moving to and a workable commute etc etc. Found it by dint of never having cancelled the Rightmove alerts I had when we were looking for our current house!

In London I'd say it's a must to be registered with every agent possible, though. Many many places sell before they ever make it on RM.

What's your budget?

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Higgywiggy · 04/04/2013 15:49

Oooh we're about to start looking for our dream house somewhere in London thats magically affordable! How did you find it? Pestering estate agents you were registered with or purely by fluke??
Congrats on the good news!

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 14:38

I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for you lurky! I'm getting quite good at it - been doing it for 4 days solid !

Can't wait to get home and open the Although the idea of a celebratory glass is a total fib, because I seem to find some pretext to have one every evening .

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johnnycomelurky · 04/04/2013 14:22

Hooray woozle, fab news!!! Wishing you a fast uneventful sale. I hope I can find one that I love that much.

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 13:45

Thanks everyone

I have pics saved from the link. Will put them on my profile later. I'm honestly too scared about gazumping to link, I'm sorry! It went madly over asking as it is and I'm terrified.

Grumps I've aaaalways wanted to really love the house I live in. You must be so happy.

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lockets · 04/04/2013 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PrinceRogersNelson · 04/04/2013 13:36

Where abouts in London are you. We moved within London to our dream house last year. A lot of work needed and like you we had to sell fast before they would accept our offer. We had two asking price offers on the first day.

I'd love to see a link if you have one? House prices in London are still insane. We are now not going anywhere!

congratulations :)

littlecrystal · 04/04/2013 13:36

Ah that's good and you give me a positive vibe that I will sell my one soon. Can you please PM the link for your beloved one? I am dying to see (I promise I will not snap it from you).

MrsGrumps · 04/04/2013 13:32

Do we get to see the house you're getting now, or can you pm me a linky?

I simply adore my house as much as you are saying about your new one, I've had nightmares that I have been forced to sell it and sit outside staring at the new residents of it.

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 13:20

We're lucky where we are because it's fairly common knowledge that unless you've done something stupid with your house, they can sell within hours, literally. We instructed the agent to go ahead with ours as soon as our offer got accepted this morning, and he's got us 3 viewings lined up on Saturday already!

It's great as a seller but on the flip side absolute torment trying to buy one!!!

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littlecrystal · 04/04/2013 13:12

Oh, wow, well done!!! I am so happy for you! And your house is not even on the market and the vendor accepted your offer? Double-well done. That is a bit unheard of, but great!
I am personally waiting until I received even a cheeky offer for me to be able to go back for the 2nd viewing and make an offer myself.

woozlebear · 04/04/2013 12:46

The most boooooooooooootifullest house in the world is MINE!!! (Well, the boootifullest house in London on our budget, anyway, which is a very different thing!).

Apparently it was swung by the fact we were the only viewers the sellers met, and the fact that I accompanied our offer (it was bids by phone) with two follow up emails saying how much we adored the house and listing everything we'd done in the 24 hours since the viewing to show how committed we were (our house ready to go on market at a moment's notice, quotes from agents to say how sellable it was, solicitor instructed, appointments with bank etc etc etc)

Now I'm just living in terror that one of the rejected bidders is going to come back and gazump.....

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Jaynebxl · 04/04/2013 08:26

Ugh how awful. Don't give up though... Our offer was originally turned down in favour of someone not in a chain ... Twice! And both times the sale fell through so eventually the owners just offered it to us at the asking price despite the fact we hadn't even out our house on the market yet! So you never know, and even if they accept someone else's offer it doesn't mean that will all go through.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2013 21:57

Keeping everything crossed for you.

MrsGrumps · 03/04/2013 18:14

Any news yet???

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